Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This grant aims to fund the purchase of two portable devices to allow our research teams to measure muscle activity and movement of workers in the field while they perform their normal daily work tasks. Occupations of interest included the helping professions of paramedics, sign language interpreters and daycare workers. Workers employed in each of these respected professions provide valuable services to Canadians; however, in doing so many develop musculoskeletal disorders at rates exceeding the average population. This equipment is essential to allow us to more accurately measure how workers activate their muscles and move their bodies while performing their respective work tasks. This information is vital to understand why they may be developing injuries, helping us to design strategies to prevent or reduce their occurrence. Traditionally, video recordings have been used to document body movements, but video does not capture three-dimensional motion very well, limiting our ability to accurately understand how workers are truly moving. Additionally, video provides no information about how muscles are being used, although many work-related injuries in these helping professions are related to muscle strains and overuse. With the addition of this equipment our research teams will be able to gather more detailed information to improve our understanding of how injuries arise in these helping occupations. While the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders has traditionally been a slow and gruelling process, recent portable technologies (as requested here) will allow us to measure occupational performance directly in these work environments. With a more complete understanding of how injuries may arise in these occupations, we can develop targeted solutions to help them reduce injury rates considerably. Healthier, injury-free interpreters, paramedics and daycare workers can provide much better service to Canadians to ensure we can always access inclusive communication, efficient emergency medical care and safe child daycare.